By Callum Ludwig
Forever Friends Animal Rescue (FFAR) is calling on their community for support in a dire time for animal welfare.
The amount of surrendered and abandoned animals is at unprecedented levels, putting enormous pressure on animal rescue organisations, shelters and pounds.
Founder of FFAR Saskia Adams said there’s no doubt that animal welfare in Victoria and all across Australia is in crisis.
“We’ve never seen so many homeless animals at risk of deaths in pounds and shelters, it definitely has reached record-breaking numbers and I’ve I’ve volunteered in animal rescue for almost 16 years and never seen anything like it,” she said.
“We feel that we very much are seeing the result of post-Covid lockdown dumpings, the vast majority of dogs who find themselves abandoned in pounds and shelters or dumped on the streets are around two years of age and we just don’t have enough space for or funds to assist.”
In response to the unprecedented demand, FFAR has launched a Critical Animal Rescue Appeal calling on supporters to help them afford to open their cage doors and cover costs like essential veterinary bills.
Ms Adams said usually cats have been the most common in pounds and shelters but now it’s dogs who in the most dire need.
“People were bored and lonely and they didn’t commit to training, they didn’t commit to socialization and people have gone back to work and found those those dogs just aren’t convenient anymore,” she said.
“The other thing we think’s affecting it a lot is the cost of living crisis, we are hearing from people, asking to surrender their dogs, cats or even horses because they can’t afford to feed them anymore or they’re having to sell their house because they can’t afford mortgage repayments.”
So far, FFAR has raised $40,720 of their $50,000 goal.
Ms Adams said volunteers are stretched, the phone won’t stop ringing and there’s an endless stream of emails of desperate faces needing help.
“Right now the best thing we could hope for is to raise more funds urgently so we can keep opening the cage doors, so having the support of the community financially right now would be incredible,” she said.
“We’re also always desperate for more foster carers, people willing to open their hearts and home to a dog or cat need temporarily just so that we can save their lives and then get them on the road to recovery and find them a forever home,”
“And lastly, if anyone’s thinking about adopting a dog, cat, chicken or horse we’d love to hear from them, the more animals that we can find homes for the more space it creates for us to rescue more.”
Any donations to FFAR’s Critical Animal Rescue Appeal are 100 per cent tax deductible.
Ms Adams said she would suggest that if people are struggling to feed their animals they can reach out to the welfare organisations in their area.
“For example, we do get a lot of animal food donated to us and sometimes we have more than we can use, so I would strongly advise if anyone is considering surrendering their pet because they can’t afford to feed them or can’t afford vet bills that they hold off and just ask the question,” she said.
“We all want to stop more pets entering the pound and shelter system so if there’s a way that we can support you to retain your pet, even just with some training advice over the phone, then do reach out.”
Donations can be made at chuffed.org/project/critical-animal-rescue-appeal.
